Amanda
by lexie2
Summary: Lex meets and befriends Amanda when she´s a babe. Their friendship develops into something special for Lex over the years but destiny has something unexpected in store for them both.
1. The Meeting

Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to their rightful owners. No Infringement's intended.

Spoilers: Zero.

Author´s note: I´ve decided to repost this story because I´ve noticed that readers seem to prefer it this way. I love feedback so please don´t hesitate to review.

_**AMANDA**_

CHAPTER 1: The Meeting

James Rothman had started his life inauspiciously.Born into a lower-class family from Suicide Slums, son of a fisherman's daughter and an alcoholic factory worker, not much was expected from him. By the time he was five his father had already deserted them and his mother worked late hours in a sweatshop to bring food to the table. The street had become his home and he tried to help his mum working as a paper boy. When he turned fifteen his mother caught smallpox and couldn't pull through.Afraid of her son' s future if he stayed in the Slums, on her deathbed she made him promise to move to the countryside, where her brother Sam had a farm they used to visit on the holidays.

James's life changed for the better on the farm. His uncle was nothing like his dad and in him he found not only a foster parent but a friend and teacher. The young boy fell in love with horses and learnt from Sam not only how to take care of them but also how to break them and train them- his uncle taught him everything he had learnt in his young years working as a handler.

At twenty-four James was already a married man. He had a not too well-paid job working for a local landowner but he was happy with Maddy. His lucky break arrived when he read an advertisement in the Daily Planet. Lionel Luthor, CEO of Luthorcorp, was looking for a trained professional to look after his horses. The job offer included living accommodations and the possibility of bringing his wife along. His first encounter with Mr Luthor was far from encouraging but everything changed when Lillian Luthor, pregnant with her first-born, rang James to have an interview with him. They got on well together from the very beginning and he recognised in her a true Lady. Although Lionel had his reservations- he had had a private investigator do an in-depth research on James' past- he eventually hired him to humour his wife.

The Luthors had some of the best thoroughbreds James had ever seen and Mrs Luthor was not only a good boss and friend but an accomplished rider and teacher in the bargain. James' friendship meant a lot to Lillian, she finally had someone to share her passion of horses with- Lionel only kept them because she loved the animals- and to talk about her son Alexander. The shy red-haired boy was his mum's shadow and tailed her to the stables, where he gradually grew fond of the horses. James loved to look at mother and son interact; she was so caring and protective and he simply adored her. He actually basked in her presence and James was amazed at Alexander's transformation when he was near Lionel- he would become guarded and retracted. The boy was terrified of his dad and the elder Luthor appeared to be constantly seeking to make him lose all confidence and his frequent lectures did nothing but undermine his son's spirit.

Five years after James was hired by the Luthors, his daughter Amanda arrived. Baby Mandy- as her father used to call her- became the apple of James' eyes and a favourite of Lillian's. Alexander was at first jealous of the attention the baby got but his attitude changed when he and his mum called on the Rothmans to meet the newly-born. The girl seemed immediately drawn to the quiet boy, smiled at him and stretched out her tiny arms inviting him to pick her up. Unwillingly, he had succeeded effortlessly in forming an emotional bond with someone other than his mum.

As soon as Amanda gave her first steps, she joined them for their afternoon activities in the stables. She would follow Alexander or Lex, as she used to call him, like a faithful puppy. From that moment on, " Lex " became the name the young Luthor answered to around the people closest to him, the ones he considered true friends. In his adulthood he would come to hate the name when mouthed by Lionel because it had been given to him by someone so loving, pure and innocent, someone so unlike his father.

When Lionel was out in Metropolis, Lex and Lillian would have meals with the Rothmans and enjoy Maddy's homemade cooking- her ginger biscuits were Lex's weakness and she made sure she had a jar filled with them whenever he and his mum graced their table with their presence. Lionel's business trips seemed to have an additional benefit for Lex and Lillian; his asthma attacks would miraculously vanish and Mrs Luthor wouldn't look so strained. Things, however, suddenly made a turn for the worst one October day when Lionel took Lex with him on a trip to close a deal with the Ross brothers back in Smallville.

" Lionel, is it really necessary ? You know I've been giving him riding lessons and that's the moment of the day he mostly looks forward to. Couldn't you think of something else to spend some quality time with him ? Something other than business ? "

" Something like a fishing trip, perhaps ?," added Lionel ironically. " For goodness' sake, Lillian ! I've never had a penchant for the outdoors. And I definitely won't start now. He's my son, and if he's to become the head of Luthorcorp one day, he'll have to learn the trade. And who better than his own father to teach him the ropes ? Stop treating him like a ninny ! "

Their trip to Smallville ended tragically. Lex came back home bald and psychologically disturbed. On his arrival, he rushed up the stairs and, refusing to look at his own mother, locked himself up in his room.Lillian was distraught and Lionel did nothing the first day, thinking Lex needed to be left alone for a while before he plucked up enough courage to face his mother and the world again. Three days went by and the boy not only kept his bedroom door shut but turned down the tray of food that was left in the corridor for him. Lionel started to get desperate and, not wanting to upset Lillian -who was expecting their second child anytime soon and giving signs of an acute depression- remembered the Rothmans and turned to them for help.

Seven-year-old Mandy had overheard the Luthors' limo and was on her way out to greet Lex when Mrs Rothman stopped her and told her it'd be better to wait until Lex had settled down. She didn't have the heart to explain to Mandy that Lex might not be same person she had known. " She's too small to understand, James. What can we tell her ? How could we possibly prepare her to see someone she idolizes so fragile ? I know the boy. For all his weakness, he's proud and I'm afraid of how he might react if she stares or looks at him with disgust. I couldn't put her through that and I wouldn't like to add to his misery by forcing on him the presence of someone on whose admiration he thrives. "

"Maddy, you're being too rash. Don't you know your daughter well enough ? She's her mother's daughter. She'd never do anything to hurt him, she loves him too much for that. And you're not giving too much credit to Lex, either. He'd never harm our Mandy."

Lionel swallowed his pride and walked to the Rothmans' cottage to find them in the middle of a family discussion concerning his son. It took him and James close to fifteen minutes to convince Maddy she should let Mandy try to do what Lionel couldn't do. Half an hour later, after an honest chat with her daughter, Mrs Rothman let little Mandy out of the house.

Amanda climbed up the imposing stairs inside the manor and walked along the corridor to Lex's room. She knocked on the door and, with a childish voice, asked " Lex, are you there ? Can I come in ? I've brought you some ginger cookies... " Nobody answered. " Lex ? Please, let me come in ! It's too dark in here. Please, let me come in !, " she entreated the boy with a catch in her voice.

Lex was sprawled behind the door, his mind working at full speed, wondering whether he should let her in and put an end to his misery. Five minutes elapsed before he stretched his arm up to reach the key and unlock the door. No sooner had he done so, and realised the moment of truth had come, than he regretted his action and stumbled all the way to the wall-to-wall built-in wardrobe to hide.

Amanda entered and, not seeing Lex, started to search the room for him. " Lex, where are you ? Don't be afraid, I'm alone. Your father's downstairs." Lex could hear her approaching, coming nearer, and tried to make himself even smaller and retreated further into a corner. A muffled sob betrayed him. Suddenly, the wardrobe door opened and a stream of sunlight filtered in. Desperate to hide his face from her, he covered it with his hands and begged " Please, Mandy, don't ! Go away ! Don't look at me ! " Amanda didn't comply. She set the clothes aside and kneeling down in front of him, forced his hands gently off his face. The boy daren't tilt his head to see the look of disgust on Mandy's face but two solid minutes went by and she didn't run away. " Lex ?... Lex ? " Still afraid of the girl's judgement he looked up and, to his utter amazement, felt her arms encircle him and heard her say: " I've missed you ". With a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes, Lex wrapped her little figure tightly in his arms and, in a whisper only she could hear, said: " I've missed you, too. "

_What do you think of the store and the relationship between the two main characters so far _?


	2. The Parting

Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to their rightful owners. NoLillian and Lex's dialogue's from " Shattered " and belongs to Gough and Millar. Infringement's intended.

Spoilers: Zero.

CHAPTER 2: The Parting

Coming to terms with his new appearance and keeping his composure in front of his father proved very difficult for Lex. However, the younger Luthor's misfortune was merely the first in a string of tragic events that would befall the family the following years.

Autumn came and the barren landscape seemed to echo the desolation that was afflicting the Luthors. Lilly's pregnancy was a trying period for her mental health. As much as she loved the new life that was growing inside of her, she couldn't stand the idea of submitting another child to Lionel's unrelenting demands and his twisted conception of paternal love. Lillian felt weak and if she kept a shred of sanity during her pregnancy was to fight for Alexander in her attempt to save his soul or, at least, salvage what was left of it.

Lillian's final breakdown occurred around October and was sped up by Lionel's decision to send Lex away. Picturing the timid and fragile boy alone at boarding-school, far from her and his only friend in the world, Mandy, was something she found hard to handle. So acute was her depression that she refused to carry or even come near her new-born son Julian. How could she possible allow herself to form a deep attachment with a baby she knew she'd have to sacrifice in order to save ? She couldn't bear the thought of her children tearing themselves apart, competing for the love and attention of their father. And so it was,with this dreadful image in her mind, that she made a tragic decision that would seal the destiny of the family and doom Lex's relationship with Lionel for ever.

At home from Excelsior Academy, Lex found Lillian completely changed, and it hurt him so much to see her deteriorate in front of his eyes that he would hide with Amanda in the stables and seek refuge with the Rothmans. James, Maddy and Amanda provided him with a haven away from the shouting and the bitter arguments. Lionel had brought him back with promises he now knew would never be fulfilled; he would never have a happy family like Mandy's. He could feel the end approaching in his bones and one morning everything went awry.

It was seven o'clock in the evening and Lex had already had dinner alone in the kitchen for Lionel was, as usual, too tied up in an meeting to share a meal with his son. In an attempt to brighten up Lillian, Lex asked the cook to prepare a tray with food for her. He was on the way to the master bedroom when he noticed Julian's loud crying had stopped all of a sudden. He retraced his steps and went into the nursery to find Lillian standing next to the cradle with a pillow in her hands. _" Mum ? Mum ? " " Ssh. Don't wake the baby. He's sleeping." _He looked at the cradle where Julian lay motionless and, turning back to his mother in shock, whispered: _ " No. No.What about Dad? " " Ssh. Dad has nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Julian's happy now," _said Lillian, kissing Lex on the forehead on her way out. And so it was, at that precise moment, that Lex realised - with a wisdom beyond his years- he'd have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Lillian from his father's wrath, take full blame for his brother's death and damn himself for ever in Lionel's eyes. The young boy's decision cost him a lot more than his father's love. He was vanished from the manor and sent straight back to boarding-school from which he would return only to attend his mother's funeral.

The misery of living away from his mum and the Rothmans was only mitigated by the weekly letter he would receive from Amanda in her childish handwriting. How he missed sitting in the Rothmans' kitchen, watching Maddy bake while he played Monopoly with James and Mandy, dreaming of having some day a family like theirs ! Unfortunately, Lillian's death affected the Rothmans in more ways than they had expected. Lionel turned up at their doorstep one day to inform them he was selling the property and, with it, the horseflesh in the stables.

" This is not what Lillian would have wanted ! " explained James. " She loved those horses and Lex..."

" Lex ? Lex'll have to learn that sentimentality's a weakness he can't afford in our world. My son and heir is destined for greater things. His future lies beyond this farm..., " exclaimed Lionel.

" His future ? Why don't you think about his present for once ?. He needs you... and you're turning his back on him... " interrupted Maddy.

"How dare you ! How dare you judge me by something you don't have the slightless inkling of ! He's my son and it's me who's going to decide what's best for him, " exploded Lionel.

" You're so self-centred, Lionel. You're destroying any possibility he might have of ever being happy. If only Lillian were here to see what you're doing to him ! Perhaps, she'd have finally had the courage to leave you once and for all," shouted Maddy.

" I won't won't dignify that with an answer out of respect for Lillian's memory and the affection she had for your family, " responded Lionel. " But listen to me, and listen to me very carefully, " he said threatenly, " if you ever set foot in one of my properties again or try to contact Lex and turn him against me, I won't answer for the consequences. "

" Are you threatening us, Mr Luthor ? What about Mandy ? What about our daughter ? What are we supposed to tell her ? Have you got any instructions about that as well ? " James queried.

" I'll leave that to you. After all, you're intelligent people, aren't you ? " snapped Lionel. And with that he shut the door on the Rothmans.

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	3. The Reunion

Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to their rightful owners. No Infringement's intended.

Spoilers: Zero.

A/N: thanks to those of you who´ve left a comment. Remember that writers thrive on reviews. Feedback´s the only way to know if you´re story´s being read and if someone out there likes what you´re doing. So keep them coming !

CHAPTER 3: The Reunion

Ten years had gone by since Lillian's untimely demise and Alexander Joseph Luthor- " billionaire playboy " , " rich spoiled brat ", " sports cars lover " and " womaniser " , as the Metropolis papers and tabloids dubbed him- had become a cynical reckless young man, given to parties, bad companies, late nights and frequent arrests. Alexander's relationship with his father was limited to using his money and contacts, both in the police and the judiciary, to extricate himself from his dangerous escapades. He was a complete stranger to Lionel, and he sought oblivion in the arms of beautiful shallow women and in the liberating experience of driving his Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris at full speed.

Meanwhile, Amanda had graduated from secondary school with honours and won an art scholarship to pursue her university studies at MU. Moving to Metropolis and living on campus, away from her family, had proved a challenging new experience for a girl raised up on a farm. Still, she loved the opportunity to have access to museums and the rich cultural life offered by the city. Moreover, Metropolis had a plus, Luthorcorp was there. She had been toying with the idea of looking for Lex now that she was no longer under he parents' over-protective wing. She had questions to ask; questions that only he could answer. There was, however, the tactical problem of how to contact him without Lionel being informed for she knew better than to stir his rage. Nevertheless, the opportunity would present itself sooner than she expected thanks to someone she'd met at MU.

Before coming to the city Amanda had never had the experience of going out with boys so it came as a surprise to her when Jude Royce, the most popular young man at university, singled her out. At first, she had reservations about accepting his advances. She was aware he belonged to Lex's world, a world she only knew second-hand and for which she felt ill-equipped. Moreover, she had doubts about the real reason behind his pursuit of her Was he really interested in her or was she the object of a bet on campus ? Finally, after a couple of months, she caved in. Jude would pick her up in the afternoons and act as a personal tour guide, showing her the sights and taking her to museums and street markets. She didn't know it then, or maybe she did on a subconscious level, but her acquaintance with him would bring her closer to Lex.

One rainy winter afternoon Jude turned up at the dorm carrying a gift for her- an exquisite black cocktail dress and a pair of high-heeled sandals. He said he had an invitation for two to attend the opening of an Impressionist exhibition in a gallery in the evening and he wanted her to be his couple. Amanda accepted the invitation on the spot and at exactly seven o'clock, dressed and made-up with her roommate's help, she left campus with Jude.

When they arrived at the gallery there was already a crowd engaged in small talk and enjoying the champagne and canapés. Nobody seemed to be paying too much attention to the paintings on the walls and Amanda wondered why they had bothered to come at all; she certainly felt like a fish out of water. Meanwhile, Jude was surrounded by quite a number of people on their way in and their advance was stalled by endless handshakes and false smiles. She found the artificiality so unbearable that, using the excuse of needing a drink to quench her thirst, she slipped away and started to wander around the exhibition rooms on her own.

Despite the phoney ambience, she felt thrilled at the unique opportunity to see the work of some of the world's greatest masters first hand. In fact, she thanked the organisers for bringing this touring exhibition to Metropolis since she'd never had the money to travel to Europe to see the paintings in their natural environment. She was observing a Renoir that had particularly called her attention when she heard a rich overly-perfumed woman say: " Good evening, Alexander. It's nice to see you again. How's Lionel doing by the way ? "

Amanda knew there had been a remote chance of coming across Lex, " remote " since he seemed to be given more to partying than to quieter do's. She turned her head round to see him smile and make a show of his perfectly polished good manners. How much he had changed ! Gone was the insecure boy who would hide behind his mum or seek refuge in the wardrobe afraid of what others might think of him. He was now a worldly, confident and cynical young man and Amanda didn't know how to approach him. He moved round the rooms as if he owned them, although she noticed it wasn't something he did consciously; there was an aura of power and mystery around him that made people stop talking and turn their heads whenever he entered a place.

Lex was finding the evening infinitely trying and the people's talk amazingly boring. The waiters had vanished into thin air and he needed a drink desperately before making a scene and ending up on the first page of The Inquisitor for choking a society lady with her two-thousand-dollar string of pearls. Suddenly, he felt a pair of eyes looking at him intently and let his stray until he located Amanda partly hidden behind a column, her face averted as if she'd been caught doing something naughty. There was something familiar about the girl, something he couldn't put a finger on. He looked back at his interlocutor and, making excuses, left the lady to search for the girl. He found her looking enthralled at a Monet.

Amanda's heart was beating madly and she felt like running away but it would have been too rude to drag Jude away when they had just arrived. Moreover, she daren't venture to the streets of Metropolis unescorted to get a taxi back home. She prayed she was mistaken, perhaps Lex hadn't noticed her after all. She could tell she was wrong as soon as she felt a strong presence behind her and a self-assured voice that said: " Monet has always been one of my favourites. I find the dreamy quality of some of his paintings particularly alluring." Amanda had been taught good manners since early childhood and she knew that keeping her back to him would be downright rude, so she turned around. He looked at her straight in the eye as if he were daring her to hold his gaze and added: " I'm Alexander Luthor. You look familiar. Have we met before, Miss... ? " Swallowing a lump in her throat, she managed to find her voice and answered: " I know who you are, Mr Luthor. I'm new to the city and this is my first evening out so ... " Lex looked at her intently, making her nervous, before he asked: " What is a girl like you doing in a place full of sharks and hags ? I can picture you in the quietness of your living-room sitting cozily by the fireplace with a book and a cup of cocoa for company. " ¨ I couldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass me by. The exhibition is everything and more than I could have dreamed of, " answered Amanda , surveying the walls in an attempt to escape the scorching look in his eyes.

Although Lex was aware the girl wasn't as sophisticated as the young women he was used to, and he knew he'd hate himself later for trying his charm on her, he lowered his voice an octave and added seductively: " I assume a young attractive girl like you hasn't come unescorted. Am I right ? " Amanda could feel the goosebumps on her skin and, desperate, started to scan the room to locate Jude. Lex followed her eyes, which came to a halt on a young man he remembered very well from his boarding-school years, Jude Royce. What the hell was she doing with that jerk ? And what did a promiscuous rich heir like Royce want with a sweet innocent girl ?

" Is that your boyfriend ? " asked Lex, half hoping she answered negatively.

" No ! He's just a friend ! We're taking some courses together at MU and he's been kind enough to invite me to the exhibition tonight, " added in a rush.

" Are you sure he's just a friend ? By the way he's regarding you and the look he's giving me, I believe he doesn't agree with you, " said Lex with a smirk. " I guess I'd rather leave now. I wouldn't like you to suffer his sharp tongue on my account. "

" He's not like that, " answered Amanda with a smile.

"I wouldn't bet on it. You know, you've got the advantage of knowing who I am but you haven't told me your name. But it´s all right, I like mysterious women. Besides I'm counting on seeing you sometime again. It's been a pleasure. Good night."

" Good night, " answered Amanda in a low voice.

Lex left Amanda's side and walked towards the arch that led to the other room. Jude was standing there looking at him with sheer hatred in his eyes. " Stay away from my girl, Luthor. She's way out of your league," threatened Jude. " First of all, she isn't your girl. At least, she doesn't think she is. And in any case, isn't she out of your league as well ," responded Lex tersely.

Despite the fact that the evening had ended abruptly and that she had experienced so many different feelings on seeing Lex, she didn't regret coming to the exhibition. She was in awe of him, of the man he had become, she was afraid and confused of what he made her feel but, at the same time, she was happy she'd seen him again after so many years. Jude, on the other hand, wasn't at all pleased with their meeting. He warned her against him, told her he was bad news and- seeming to forget he himself belonged to Lex's world- he added she should know better than to let a rich guy regale her with sweet talk. " The bastard. He thinks his charming smile and daddy's millions can cover up his inadequacies. "

Amanda's relationship with Jude cooled for a while until he tried to make amends by inviting her to a night at the Opera. Despite her qualms, she was too fond of Verdi to turn him down and he was the only person she knew in the city- well, one of the two- who had a box for the season. Her roommate Tammy was nice enough to lend her an evening gown she had for special occasions and again gave her a hand with her make-up. Amanda was looking forward to this evening because she hoped she'd see Lex again.

Lex was in a melancholy mood that evening and had decided to go to the Opera on the spur of the moment. He'd come alone because he didn't feel like sharing Verdi with a vapid creature at his side. Going to the Opera was close to a religious experience for him- maybe one of the few things in life he had to thank Lionel for- and it made him feel closer to Lillian when he was in one of his meditative moods. His sudden decision proved to be worthwhile when he heard Jude Royce's voice. " Amanda, have a programme. Would you care to have a glass of champagne before it starts ? " Lex's heart skipped a beat. Amanda ? Could it be his Amanda ? He turned round in time to see her look his way and his question was answered.

His intention of enjoying a quiet evening at the Opera went out of the window. He couldn't concentrate on the singing and his eyes seem to stray on their own accord to Royce's box with excesive frequency. He could see Amanda was making a desperate effort to keep her eyes glued on the stage and leant back, from time to time, to listen to Jude's comments on the show. Suddenly, in the middle of the second act, she got up and left the box. Lex thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get her all alone. They had a lot of talking to do.

Amanda went straight to the toilet to freshen up and get a grip on herself. Ten minutes elapsed and she realised she couldn't hide in the toilet for ever. No sooner did she open the door than she spotted Lex waiting for her in the foyer, an accusing look on his face.

" Why didn't you tell me who you were ? You made a fool of me, Mandy, " he said coldly.

" I couldn't. I didn't know how to talk to you anymore, " she answered lowering her eyes.

" We were friends, Amanda. Or, at least, I thought we were, " he said bitterly.

" I was going to tell you ! You must believe me ! But when I came face to face with you, I felt as if I didn't know you any longer. You looked so sophisticated, so savvy and sure of yourself. And I felt so awkward and inadequate, " she added with a catch in her voice.

" Inadequate ? You were the only one there who fitted in that gallery, " added Lex more warmly.

" Why did you stop writing, Mandy ?

" Why don't you ask your father, Lex ? " responded quietly Amanda.

" My father ? I should have known better, " snapped Lex bitterly and, after looking at her for what seemed an eternity, he added: " Let me tell you something, Amanda. He might have succeeded in keeping us apart this long but I promise you, now that we've found each other again, I won't let anyone- least all of all my father- interfere with our friendship. Know that you can count on me. Never be afraid to come to me for help, Amanda. I'm not my father, I won't ask you for anything in return. "

And Amanda knew he was a man of his word for, deep inside, he still was the boy she had idolised in her childhood.

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	4. Farewell and Conclusion

Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to their rightful owners. No Infringement's intended. The dialogue at Club Zero is actual verbatim from " Zero " and belongs to Gough and Millar.

Spoilers: Zero.

CHAPTER 4: Farewell

Lex and Amanda's tête-a- tête at the theatre was the first of many encounters. Once a week, they would meet at a small Italian café away from crowds and the city centre to talk over a cup of coffee and cinnamon rolls. At the beginning, Mandy felt uncomfortable with the idea of lying to Jude, and afraid of what Lionel might do if he found out about their rendezvous, but Lex assured her he had taken care of that and she trusted him enough to know he'd keept her out of harm's way.

Their meetings were bittersweet for both. Lex was aware that if he said the correct words, Mandy would choose him over Royce but he felt she deserved better than either of them. Amanda was waiting for him to say what she knew was in his heart and, at the same time, dreading that moment for she doubted whether she was mature enough to enter an adult relationship with someone so complex as Lex.

Six months after their reunion, Jude proposed to her and Amanda accepted his engagement ring. Lex hid his feelings behind a charming smile and wished her all the best. However, being his father's son, Lex didn't let the matter rest. He hired a private detective to tail Royce and dig into his past to make sure Jude wasn't up to his old tricks.

For Mandy's sake he had hoped to be wrong about Jude but the private detective proved his suspicions right. Lex didn't know how to broach the subject to Mandy without sounding jealous but this information wasn't something a true friend would keep to himself. He reached for the phone with a heavy heart and dialled her mobile phone number. " Good afternoon, Mandy. It's Lex. Are you free tonight ? "

It didn't take him much to convince her to go out with him that night. She said Jude was out of town on a business trip and she wasn't looking forward to spending Saturday night alone in her dorm room. She told him she'd be delighted to join him and asked him if she needed to wear something fancy because her wardrobe was rather limited, " A student's budget, you know. " Lex told her not to worry. " Be your usual charming self. Casual clothes will do fine, Mandy. "

" Zero Consequences ", that was Club Zero's motto. Nothing was further from the truth.

" _Can I see some I.D.? "_ asked a bouncer at the door.

"_You must be new here, "_ answered Lex.

" _It's okay. Let him through, "_ added another bouncer.

" _Thanks, Kasitch, "_ said Lex handing him a tip.

"_No problem. She's cute, " _stated the bouncer.

" _She's engaged,"_ responded Lex. " _What do you think? " _he asked Amanda.

" _It's loud, "_ she said making a face.

" _How's the V.I.P. room tonight? "_ asked Lex to Kasitch.

" _I think we can make some room for you, " _said Kasitch accepting another hundred-dollar note from Lex.

" _I hope you don't feel obligated to entertain me. Jude's only gone for a couple days, "_ said Amanda as they climbed up the stairs.

"_I don't believe in obligations. Besides, your fiancé did me a favour. I wasn't looking forward to a night out on my own. "_

" _Something tells me you wouldn't have been alone for very long," _she noted with a smile.

" _Two apple martinis, " _ordered Lex from the bartender.

" _Zero consequences. That's quite a promise, " _stated Mandy picking up a matchbook with the club's motto printed on it.

" _Only if it's kept... To my good friend Amanda on her engagement, " _said Lex proposing a toast.

" _Cheers, "_ toasted Amanda.

It was at that very moment, when they clinked glasses and Amanda took her first sip that something called her attention. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

There was Jude sitting between two young flashy women drinking and laughing loudly. She left Lex's side and walked to her fiancé's table.

" _Amanda... ,"_ shouted Jude caught by surprise.

"_You said you had to go away on business. "_

" _I can explain, okay? "_ he pleaded as she took off her ring and threw it at him. " _Amanda, wait a second. I can explain, Amanda, just wait. Amanda! " _he called out as she walked away. " _You son_ _of a b. You did this on purpose, "_ he shouted at Lex.

" _You did it to yourself. Amanda deserves better, " _responded the young Luthor.

True to his violent nature, one Lex was familiar with from their old days together at Exelsior Academy, Jude followed them to the ground floor. Once there, he grabbed Lex and they got into a fist fight until Kasitch separated them. However, the fight was far from over for Jude pulled out a switchblade and reaching past the bouncer stabbed Lex in his left shoulder. Spotting the flash of the blade, Kasitch pulled out his gun to protect Lex but was knocked down by a man dancing nearby. Royce saw the opportunity to attack Lex again and grabbed it, unaware that Amanda had picked up Kasitch's gun. Holding the firearm with a steady hand, she aimed at Jude's heart and pulled the trigger. Lex heard the gunshot and turned around to see her still holding the gun in her hand. She looked at him in the eyes and, dropping the firearm, collapsed to the floor.

Lex's mind was in a whirl but he knew that if he wanted to save Amanda from a fate she didn't deserve, he had to act quickly. For the second time in his life, he took the blame for a murder he hadn't committed. He picked up the gun and when Detective Phelan- a policeman on his father's payroll- arrived, he confessed to the murder. Phelan took care of the cover up and Lionel's money paid for Kasitch's silence.

Amanda was still on the floor kneeling next to Jude's body crying. Her mind was in a daze. She looked down at her hands and then lifted her head to meet Lex's eyes. He was alive and that was what really mattered. She wasn't afraid of what might happen to her. She knew he would have done the same in her shoes. Then, she saw Phelan and overheard everything would be taken care of. She drifted her eyes back to Lex and saw his get misty. She could feel all the emotions and feelings he was experiencing by just looking at him, and she realised that this was goodbye.

CONCLUSION: Meltdown

Smallville-Three years later

Lex was sitting alone in the darkness of his study, a glass of bourbon in his left hand. Booze seemed to be the easiest way to numb such a deep feeling of impotence. This morning, while he was fighting for his life hanging upside down from a rafter, he'd heard from Amanda's own brother a piece of news that had rocked the very foundations of his soul, if he still had one. Mandy had been dead a year now. Worse still, she had taken her own life.

Mandy's brother had kidnapped Lex to force the truth out of him and had accused him of ruining his sister's life. Lex thought Rothman was right, he was to blame. If he hadn't left the box at the theatre to confront her, they wouldn't have resumed their friendship, and Mandy would have never set foot in Zero Club. His selfishness had doomed her. His cocky recklessness had tainted her. She had soiled her innocence by shooting the gun to save him. He wished it had been his finger on the trigger instead of hers. Did every woman in his life have to pay for his sins ? Would this suffering ever end ?

Lex stretched out on the sofa and drank to oblivion.


End file.
